Worcester council vexed by trucks parked overnight on residential streets

Nick Kotsopoulos Telegram & Gazette Staff @NCKotsopoulos

Tuesday

Mar 12, 2019 at 9:51 PMMar 12, 2019 at 9:51 PM

WORCESTER – In response to a growing number of complaints about tractor-trailers and box trucks parking overnight on residential streets, police have recommended a series of changes to provide stronger enforcement capabilities to remove those vehicles from the streets.

Currently, commercial motor vehicles – buses or trailers having a gross weight of 11,000 lbs. or more – are not allowed to be parked on streets zoned residential where parking is permitted, for more than one hour between the hours of 1 a.m. and 6 a.m.

Such vehicles can be parked for periods in excess of that restriction, however, while they are being loaded or unloaded.

But city councilors said Tuesday night they have received many complaints from residents about commercial trucks parked overnight on neighborhood streets. In some instances, tractor-trailers have even been left with engines running overnight, they said.

"These complaints we hear quite often," said District 4 Councilor Sarai Rivera. "It’s really affecting the quality of life in some of our neighborhoods. This topic comes up over and over again at community meetings."

Mayor Joseph M. Petty said there have been instances when drivers have parked their trucks in neighborhoods where they don’t live.

In a report to the City Council, Police Chief Steven M. Sargent said the current city ordinance presents several challenges for enforcement. In particular, he said, the language of the ordinance is restrictive.

To address the matter, City Manager Edward M. Augustus Jr. said the Police Department’s Commercial Vehicle Enforcement Section has recommended amendments to the current ordinance that would impose stricter standards.

He said the amendments would increase enforcement capabilities and align Worcester’s restrictions with other cities.

"The Traffic Division firmly believes that stronger enforcement measures will serve as critical tools to allow them to address these parking challenges," Mr. Augustus said.

The recommendations are:

• Revising the city’s current ordinance definition of "Commercial Motor Vehicle" to mirror that of the state and federal definition.

• Extending the time for no commercial vehicle overnight parking in residential areas from 1 a.m. to 6 a.m. to 9 p.m. to 6 a.m., and remove the one-hour stipulation. Police Lt. Timothy Walsh told the City Council that would increase the Police Department's enforcement capabilities.

• Increasing fines for violations. Currently the fines are $25. Meanwhile, other cities, including Boston, have increased their fines, ranging from $100 to a summons for violation of the ordinance.

• Including a procedure to tow unoccupied commercial vehicles violating the ordinance.

• Offering the option of online payments so out-of-state carriers will be more likely to comply with paying citations.

"Currently, there is not a way to track out-of-state motor carriers who fail to pay Worcester parking citations issued," Chief Sargent wrote in his report. "Officers are not able to obtain compliance with issued citations. Therefore, out-of-state motor carriers do not take citations seriously."

"In addition, there is no mechanism in place for drivers of commercial vehicles to pay parking citations if towed from Friday at 5 p.m. to Monday," he added. " A recommendation would be to establish an online payment system or some other alternative method of payment. Officers believe that immediate payment of a fine would increase compliance and possibly result in a reduction in habitual commercial motor vehicle parking offenders."

The City Council referred the proposal to its Traffic and Parking Committee for a public hearing.

Councilor-at-Large Kathleen M. Toomey and District 3 Councilor George J. Russell said there have also been problems with tractor-trailers and other commercial trucks being parked overnight in parking lots of commercial businesses. They asked if the Police Department could also crack down on that problem.

But Lt. Walsh said the Police Department can only enforce the truck ordinance on public ways and cannot do so on private property.

He added that the truck ordinance also only applies to those streets that are in residentially-zoned areas. Trucks also cannot be restricted from parking on streets in commercially-zoned areas.

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